What kind of Telescope should I buy?

Hello everyone,

What kind of telescope should I buy?  This is a question we hear quite often.  Whether it's for a gift, budding amateur astronomer, or the rekindling of an old hobby there are many answers.  Our most common one is to "try before you buy", and is a main purpose of astronomy clubs like ours.  By attending one of our public progams, meetings, and/or open-to-the-public star parties you can learn about the different types of telescopes, their advantages and dis-advantages, and get to experience using them firsthand.  We invite you to do so by keeping an eye on our calendar for future events.  In the meantime you can learn the basics about types of telescopes and their uses by looking at this handout which we distribute at some of our outreach programs.  As always you can contact us with any questions at any time!

-The 5A's

Evening Sky Show TONIGHT!!

Hello everyone,

The following is from Spaceweather.com; check out the full story and sky maps at www.spaceweather.com

Just after sunset tonight, step outside and look south. The waxing crescent Moon and Jupiter are in conjunction, beaming brightly side by side. Try looking before the evening sky fades to black. A bright conjunction framed by twilight blue has a special beauty that you won't want to miss.

-The 5A's

Website Spotlight: This Week's Sky at a Glance

HAPPY NEW YEAR from the 5A's!!!

We hope everyone had safe and enjoyable New Year celebrations.  The first Website Spotlight of 2011 brings to your attention Sky and Telescope's This Week's Sky at a Glance page.  If you're a budding amateur astronomer or have been enjoying the night sky for years, this is a great resource to quickly see what you can observe over the next week.  Included are the moon, planets, deep sky objects, meteor showers, comets, conjunctions, and more.  Be sure to check out the rest of Sky and Telescope's main site as well!

-The 5A's